By theſe two differing ways, my Lord,
may the Spring of the Air be explicated.
But though the former of them be that,
which by reaſon of its ſeeming ſomewhat
more eaſie, I ſhall for the moſt part make
uſe of in the following Diſcourſe: yet
am I not willing to declare peremptorily
for either of them, againſt the other. And
indeed, though I have in another Treatiſe
endeavoured to make it probable, that the
returning of Elaſtical Bodies (if I may ſo
call them) forcibly bent, to their former
poſition, may be Mechanically explica
ted: Yet I muſt confeſs, that to deter
mine whether the motion of Reſtitution
in Bodies, proceed from this, That the
parts of a Body of a peculiar Structure
are put into motion by the bending of the
ſpring, or from the endeavor of ſome ſub
tle ambient Body, whoſe paſſage may be
oppoſ'd or obſtructed, or elſe it's preſſure
unequally reſiſted by reaſon of the new
ſhape or magnitude, which the bending of
a Spring may give the Pores of it: To
determine this, I ſay, ſeems to me a mat
ter of more difficulty, then at firſt ſight
one would eaſily imagine it. Wherefore
I ſhall decline medling with a ſubject,
which is much more hard to be explica-
may the Spring of the Air be explicated.
But though the former of them be that,
which by reaſon of its ſeeming ſomewhat
more eaſie, I ſhall for the moſt part make
uſe of in the following Diſcourſe: yet
am I not willing to declare peremptorily
for either of them, againſt the other. And
indeed, though I have in another Treatiſe
endeavoured to make it probable, that the
returning of Elaſtical Bodies (if I may ſo
call them) forcibly bent, to their former
poſition, may be Mechanically explica
ted: Yet I muſt confeſs, that to deter
mine whether the motion of Reſtitution
in Bodies, proceed from this, That the
parts of a Body of a peculiar Structure
are put into motion by the bending of the
ſpring, or from the endeavor of ſome ſub
tle ambient Body, whoſe paſſage may be
oppoſ'd or obſtructed, or elſe it's preſſure
unequally reſiſted by reaſon of the new
ſhape or magnitude, which the bending of
a Spring may give the Pores of it: To
determine this, I ſay, ſeems to me a mat
ter of more difficulty, then at firſt ſight
one would eaſily imagine it. Wherefore
I ſhall decline medling with a ſubject,
which is much more hard to be explica-